Gaming is better with friends. Whether you’re looking for something to play with your partner, a chaotic four-player experience, or a hardcore squad shooter, the PC co-op scene in 2026 is stacked. Here are the 15 best co-op games on PC right now, from brand-new bangers to established classics that are still worth your time.
1. Split Fiction
Players: 2 | Genre: Co-op Adventure | Price: ~$40 (only one person needs to buy it)
Hazelight Studios did it again. From the creators of It Takes Two, Split Fiction follows two authors who get sucked into their own stories — one writing sci-fi, the other fantasy. The game constantly switches between genres, and every mechanic is designed around two-player cooperation. With 97% positive reviews on Steam from over 67,000 players, this is the best co-op game released in the last year. The Friend’s Pass means only one person needs to own it, making it the best value in co-op gaming.
2. Elden Ring Nightreign
Players: 1-3 | Genre: Souls-like Roguelite | Price: ~$40
FromSoftware combined the Souls formula with roguelite structure and three-player co-op. Each run drops you into a condensed version of the Lands Between with randomized encounters, escalating difficulty, and a boss rush finale. It’s punishing, rewarding, and absolutely electric with a full squad. If you loved Elden Ring but wanted consistent co-op without the summoning hassle, Nightreign is your game.
3. Lethal Company
Players: 1-4 | Genre: Co-op Horror | Price: ~$10
Still going strong in 2026. You and your crew land on abandoned moons, scavenge for loot, and try not to die to the horrifying creatures lurking inside. The beauty of Lethal Company is the emergent chaos — watching your friend get dragged away by a Bracken while you panic-sprint for the ship never gets old. Zeekerss keeps updating it, and the modding community has added hundreds of hours of additional content.
4. Deep Rock Galactic
Players: 1-4 | Genre: Co-op Shooter | Price: ~$30
Four dwarves walk into a cave. Only the cave is procedurally generated, filled with alien bugs, and you’re mining resources while fighting for your life. Deep Rock Galactic nails the co-op shooter formula with four distinct classes, full destructible terrain, and a community that’s genuinely wholesome. Rock and stone.
5. Portal 2
Players: 2 | Genre: Puzzle | Price: ~$10
Portal 2’s co-op campaign remains one of the greatest designed co-op experiences ever created. Every puzzle requires both players thinking and executing simultaneously. If you somehow haven’t played it yet, fix that immediately. It goes on sale for $2-3 regularly, making it the cheapest great co-op game on this list.
6. ARC Raiders
Players: 1-3 | Genre: Extraction Shooter | Price: Free-to-play
The extraction shooter that’s dominating Steam right now. Team up in squads of three, drop into hostile zones filled with deadly AI robots, loot valuable resources, and extract before time runs out — or before other squads take your stuff. The PvPvE formula keeps every run tense and unpredictable.
7. Baldur’s Gate 3
Players: 1-4 | Genre: RPG | Price: ~$60
Playing BG3 in co-op is a completely different experience. Each player controls their own character, makes independent dialogue choices, and can wander off to cause diplomatic incidents while you’re trying to be a hero. The freedom is unmatched, and the emergent storytelling of four players making different moral choices creates unforgettable moments.
8. Helldivers 2
Players: 1-4 | Genre: Co-op Shooter | Price: ~$40
Spreading managed democracy with your friends never gets old. Helldivers 2 combines third-person shooting with strategic calldowns and friendly fire that turns every extraction into controlled chaos. The game’s live-service updates keep introducing new enemies, weapons, and galactic events that give your squad new reasons to dive.
9. Risk of Rain 2
Players: 1-4 | Genre: Roguelike Shooter | Price: ~$25
The roguelike loop is addictive alone, but with friends it’s transcendent. Stack ridiculous item combos, fight increasingly absurd boss encounters, and watch the game slowly transform from challenging to hilariously overpowered as your build comes online. Runs last anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours depending on how greedy you get.
10. Palworld
Players: 1-32 | Genre: Survival Crafting | Price: ~$30
Pokemon meets survival crafting meets workplace automation. Catch Pals, build a base, assign your Pals to work stations, and explore a massive open world with friends. The combat, boss fights, and base-building loop are genuinely engaging, and the game keeps getting substantial content updates. Dedicated servers support up to 32 players.
11. Monster Hunter Wilds
Players: 1-4 | Genre: Action RPG | Price: ~$60
Capcom’s latest Monster Hunter is the most accessible entry point for new players while maintaining the series’ incredible depth. Hunt massive creatures with up to three friends, craft weapons and armor from their parts, and tackle increasingly challenging quests. The Seamless Co-op system finally lets you play the entire story together without the awkward cutscene-watching requirements of older entries.
12. Subnautica 2
Players: 1-4 | Genre: Survival | Price: ~$35
The original Subnautica was a masterpiece held back by a single-player-only design. Subnautica 2 fixes that with four-player online co-op, new alien biomes, expanded base building, and the same incredible sense of exploration and wonder. Building an underwater base with friends while something massive lurks in the deep below you is gaming at its best.
13. Stardew Valley
Players: 1-4 | Genre: Farming Sim | Price: ~$15
The cozy co-op game for when you need a break from shooting things. Run a farm with up to three friends, explore the mines, fish, build relationships with the town NPCs, and slowly transform your overgrown plot into a thriving agricultural empire. ConcernedApe’s continued free updates make this one of the best values in gaming.
14. Halo: The Master Chief Collection
Players: 1-4 | Genre: FPS | Price: ~$40
Six Halo campaigns playable in co-op on PC. If you’ve never experienced the Halo trilogy with a friend, the Master Chief Collection is the definitive way to do it. The campaigns hold up incredibly well, and running through them on Legendary difficulty is one of gaming’s great co-op challenges.
15. Terraria
Players: 1-8 | Genre: Sandbox | Price: ~$10
Over a decade old and still one of the deepest games on PC. The co-op experience in Terraria is about building, exploring, and fighting bosses together across a 2D procedurally generated world. With the final update adding massive amounts of content, there are hundreds of hours of co-op gameplay here for an absurdly low price.
Honorable Mentions
- It Takes Two — Hazelight’s previous co-op masterpiece
- Divinity: Original Sin 2 — Deep tactical RPG co-op
- Phasmophobia — Co-op ghost hunting
- Left 4 Dead 2 — The OG co-op zombie shooter, still active
- Valheim — Viking survival crafting
Free Co-Op Options
If budget is a concern, several excellent co-op games are free-to-play. ARC Raiders, Fortnite, Apex Legends, and more are all free. Check our list of best free Steam games for the complete rundown.
If you’re deciding between a handheld and a full PC for your co-op gaming, our Steam Deck vs Switch 2 comparison can help.
Final Thoughts
The co-op gaming scene on PC in 2026 is the best it’s ever been. Split Fiction sets the new standard for two-player adventures, Elden Ring Nightreign proves that Souls games and co-op can coexist beautifully, and established titles like Deep Rock Galactic and Lethal Company continue to deliver. Grab a friend, pick a game, and stop playing alone.
